RESEARCH - Antiplatelet drugs may help lupus

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Lupus Study Suggests Antiplatelet Drugs May Help

By Kate Kelland

LONDON (Reuters)

01 Sep 2010

Scientists studying systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have found that

blood platelets are key in its development and say their findings in

the lab suggest platelet inhibitors may offer a new way to treat

patients.

The researchers found that lupus patients have an excess of platelets

and, after tests on mice, suggest that treating them with a drug like

clopidogrel (Plavix) could prevent flare-ups of the disease.

" These observations open a possible therapeutic avenue for human

inflammatory autoimmune diseases - the long-term utilization of

antiplatelet therapy, " the scientists said in their paper, scheduled

for publication today in Science Translational Medicine.

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Read the full article here:

http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/727892

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